John chapman allen



v(N0 Model.)

J. G. ALLEN: COTTON PRESS.

- Patented Jan. 22, 1884.

.INVENTOR 7 M4 ATTORNEYS.

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WITNESSES JOHN CHAPMAN ALLEN,

Parent- @rrrcn.

OF SOUTH SULPHUR, I TEXAS.

C ()TTON-PRESS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 292,274, dated January 22, 1884..

' Application filed Octoler 10,1883, (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be itknown that 1, JOHN G. ALLEN. of South Sulphur,in the county of Hunt and State of of Texas, have invented a new and Improved Cotton-Press, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention consists of a horizontal press with reciprocating follower, worked by power, the press being arranged to receive the cotton from a chute-descending from the floor above thepress, the said press and the driving mechanism being constructed and arranged as hereinafter d'escribecha'nd specifically set forth in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings,.forming a part of this specification,

in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a plan view of my improved press. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional elevation on line 'y y of Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 is a transverse section on the line w x of Fig. 1.

The packing-case a is arranged horizontally on any suitable supports, b, a suitable distance above the floor c, with the head (I attached to cross-timbers 6, supported on strong posts f, which are coupled by strong stay-rods g with other posts, h, located at the other end of the press, and having the shaft'i, by which the power is applied to the'followerj, mounted on it, so that the resistance of the follower on the press-head is counterbalanced by the resistance of the driving-shaft i on the posts h,

thus enabling the press to sustain great force,

for making .very compact bales Without very heavy or strong framework. The shaft z is geared with the follower j by the pinions 7c and the toothed staffs Z, and I prefer to gear the shaft 2' with the driving power by a'direct belt, m, and pulley n, for driving the follower forward, and a crossed belt, 0,.and pulley p,

for drawing the follower backward with aclutch, q, for connecting and disconnecting the pulleys,'as required; but I may employ for drawing the follower back a shaft, s, with pinions t geared to the upper sides of the follower-staffs Z, with one belt running on a pulley on said shaft ssay over where pulley n is-the pinions of which shaft will be connected with the follower-staffs by any approved arrangement of shifting-arms u, connecting-rods u, and lever 22, contrived to shift on shaft 2, and so as to throw said pinion k out of gear with said shaft by the same lever 12, when the pinions tare to be geared with the follower-staffs Z to run the follower back, and vice versa. Thelevero may have its fulcrum in a standard, 1;, and equidistant from rods a a, so as to shift pinions 23 one way at thesame time that it shifts pinions 7c the other way. This shaft .9 also carries hooks w, that engage studs 00 of the follower-staffs to hold the follower up to retain the pressure on the bale while tying it, afterthe drivingshaft has been disconnected. The follower is supported on the wheels y, on the axle z of which the follower-staffs are supported back of the follower, said wheels running on rails a, laid on the floor of the presscase. The staffs are can ried on the pinions k for their other support.

, The cotton descends from the room above through the chute b, and enters the case through an opening, 0, in the top of it, near the driving-shaft, said opening being provided with a cover, (1, or any other approved form of gate to shut off the cotton when the case is charged and the follower j is to go forward. The follower is to be worked forward as many times as is necessary to press in as many charges as may be required to complete the bale, which may be condensed by a succession of blows by repeatedly driving up the follower after the requisite quantity of cotton has been forced up to the bale-chamber. The balechamber has a door, 0, opening into the top, to facilitate the stuffing of the caseand said chamber with the first charge; also, to facilitate the tying and discharging of the bale, there is also a door, f, at the bottom of said chamber, through which the bales are to be dis charged, to be delivered through the floor 0, which has an opening, 9, for the bales to fall through as they escape from the press. The

bale-chamber also has, a door, h, at each side, to open for facilitating the discharge of the bale, said doors swinging between the stay rods 9. These doors 6, f, and h are to be held shut by a chain, 3, passing around them and through the projecting ends of the cross pieces 9', which may be readily unfastened to LII open the doors when the bale-is to be discharged. The staffs l are supported on the roller 7. over which they run when the follower is drawn back.

It will be seen that the improved arrangement above described enables a very effectual press to be constructed in small space and without heavy and expensive fittings, and the arrangements for receiving the cotton into the case and discharging it from the press materially simplify and lessen the labor of operating the press.

\Vhen the clutch and reverse driving-gear are employed to work the follower in both directions, it will be desirable to provide some guard device over the follower-statls, to prevent them from slipping out of gear.

It will also be desirable in practice tohave a retainingbar arranged on the upper and lower sides ofthe press-ease, with a spring or lever contrived to project said bars into the case to some extent when the follower withdraws, to prevent the cotton from springing back along with the follower.

I am aware that it is not broadly new to provide gearing for forcing the follower for ward, and by reversing the movement to withdraw the follower; also, that pawls have been provided to engage the iollower-statt' to resist the pressure of the pressed cotton; also, that it is not new to provide the bale-chamber with side, top, and bottom doors; and I do not desire to claim any such constructions, broadly, as of my invention.

Having thus described myinvention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent" 1. In a horizontal cotton-press, the eombination ofthe staffs 7, having their upper and lower edges toothed for engaging the driving and withdrawing pi nions t k mounted,respectively, on transverse shafts s i, )rovided with drivi ngpulleys, with the shifting-arms 1!, connectingrods a, connected with pinions Ho, and lover r, mounted on standard 1;, equidistant from rods 14, whereby the pinions t7; may be shifted in opposite directions to run the follower back ward or forward, as may be desired, sub stantially as set forth.

2. The hooks '10, mounted on shaft 3, and adapted to automatically engage projections near the outer ends of the stalls l, and resist rearward n'essnre of the cotton, substantially as set forth.

JOHN CHAPMAN ALLEY.

\Vitnesses:

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